2005 Lexus RX Engine Problems

My vehicle caught fire a few days after being repaired by a licensed repair shop in California.
The repair was performed by: Brodie's Tire & Automotive
Address: 1276 Petaluma Blvd N, Petaluma, CA 94952
Phone: [XXX] After the fire, the repair shop admitted in writing that: • The intake manifold melted after the fire
• The engine became “not repairable”
• The fire occurred shortly after their repair
• They offered to “fix it for free,” which indicates awareness of responsibility The fire caused severe heat damage to the engine compartment, electrical wiring, and surrounding components. The vehicle became unsafe to drive, and the engine can no longer operate. This incident presents a serious safety hazard because the fire happened shortly after a repair that involved components near the engine and fuel system. Improper or unsafe repair work may cause similar fires for other consumers. This incident is already under active investigation by: • California Department of Insurance (CDI) – Complaint #XXX• California Bureau of Automotive Repair (DCA/BAR) – Case No: XXX I am reporting this to NHTSA because the fire and melted engine components indicate a dangerous defect tied to improper repair work, which may pose a risk to other drivers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

TIMING BELT BROKE ON THE EXPRESSWAY DRIVING 65 MPH CAUSING ME TO LOOSE POWER AND ALMOST CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING CAUSING THE CAR TO HEAT UP. THE TIMING BELT BROKE AND THE MECHANIC SAID THE CAR HAD EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE MOTOR AND IS NOT WORTH FIXING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX330. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE RADIATOR FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO INDICATION ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL THAT THE VEHICLE HAD OVERHEATED. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED COOLANT LEAKING FROM THE RADIATOR ONTO THE GROUND. CROWN LEXUS (1125 SOUTH KETTERING DRIVE, ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA 91761, (909) 480-4095) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX330. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ACTIVATED, WATER LEAKED FROM THE AIR VENTS INTO THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CARPET. AS A RESULT, THERE WAS MOISTURE BUILD UP THAT CAUSED MOLD AND MILDEW. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO INSPECTED THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT WATER COOLANT LEAKED ONTO THE TIMING BELT AND BOTH THE WATER PUMP AND THE TIMING BELT WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

MY 2005 LEXUS RX 330 WITH ONLY 39459 MILEAGE WAS TOLD THE WATER PUMP IS LEAKS, WHEN I REPLACED THE BATTERY AT INDEPENDENT SHOP. WHEN FOR A RECALL (ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY) DONE BY DEALER THAT COUPLE MONTH AGO ON MILEAGE 39152, DEALER ALSO PERFORMED MULTI POINT INSPECTION DID NOT SPOT ANY WATER PUMP LEAKS. HOWEVER, I BROUGHT CAR BACK TO DEALER TO DIAGNOSTIC, INSPECTED STATES THAT FOR POSSIBLE COOLANT LEAKS - WATER PUMP TIMING BELT PACKAGE COST $1,995.00 FOR REPLACEMENT. THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS, I COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THE WATER PUMP IS FAILING AT THE CAR ONLY HAS UNDER 40K MILES. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE FOR SAFETY AS AN ENGINE WITH FAILED WATER PUMP MIGHT BE CAUSE A VERY SERIOUS DAMAGES AND INJURY WHEN DRIVING. IN THIS CASE HEREBY, I'M SENDING THIS COMPLIANT TO NHTSA, I HOPE ODI OFFICE WOULD START TO INVESTIGATION FOR THIS ISSUE. LEXUS SHOULD MAKE RECALL FOR THIS LOW QUALITY PARTS INSTEAD OF PUT OTHER PEOPLES LIFE IN DANGERS WHEN DRIVING. TO EMPHASIZE THAT I HAVE FOUND OUT ON YOUR WEBSITE THERE ARE SAME COMPLAINTS FOR FAILED WATER PUMP AS WELL. AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF CAR OWNER HAVE SAME PROBLEMS JUST WERE NOT AWARE OF WHERE THEY COULD MAKE COMPLAINTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER. *JS

TOOK MY 2005 RX330 IN FOR A RECALL (CRANKSHAFT PULLEY). I WAS TOLD THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING AND SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF ALONG WITH THE TIMING BELT. I WAS TOLD I WOULD SAVE A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS IN LABOR BECAUSE OF THE RECALL IF I HAD IT TAKEN CARE OF RIGHT NOW AT A COST OF $876.96. OUCH! ONLY 50K MILES! AT LEAST IT DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING, BUT COME ON 50K MILES. I HOPE THIS ISN'T AN ISSUE AMONG OTHER 05 RX330 OWNERS. MIGHT HAVE THE TUNE OF RECALL. I'M DRIVING A LEXUS NOT A HUGO.................. *TR

MY LEXUS RX330 BROKE DOWN AT THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROAD ONLY AT 65K MILES. THE WATER PUMP HAD A LEAK, AND AS A RESULT, THERE WAS NO COOLANT AND THE ENGINE WAS HEATING UP TO A LEVEL WHERE I COULD HAVE FIRE IN THE ENGINE. I WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND IT HAD TO BE TOWED. LATER I PAID $1100+ TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP AND TIMING BELT. I CONTACTED LEXUS HQ REGARDING SERIOUS QUALITY ISSUES WITH THEIR VEHICLE AS THE WATER PUMP AND TIMING BELT SHOULD LAST UP TO 90K MILES. LEXUS REFUSED TO HELP OR EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE. I AM REACHING OUT TO NHTSA AND REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS QUALITY PROBLEM WITH LEXUS VEHICLE AND KEY ENGINE PARTS LIKE WATER PUMP. TOYOTA/LEXUS HAS BEEN USING LOW QUALITY PARTS TO INCREASE PROFIT MARGIN AND AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE IS FAILING AT ONLY 65K MILES. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE FOR SAFETY AS AN ENGINE WITH A FAILED WATER PUMP CAN HEAT UP AND CAUSE FIRE AND FAIL AT THE MIDDLE OF BUSY INTERSECTION OR ON THE HIGHWAY. WILL APPRECIATE IF YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE ASAP AND REQUIRE LEXUS TO DO A RECALL ON THEIR WATER PUMP FOR ALL 2005 RX 330S. *TR

MY AIR VENTS CONSTANTLY EMIT A WHITE POWDERY SUBSTANCE THAT COLLECTS ON THE DASHBOARD AND WITHIN THE VENTS. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH CONCERNS OF WHAT I AM INHALING INTO MY LUNGS AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CALCIUM COATING IS COMING OFF OF A TUBE OR WIRE AND THE CALCIUM THEN GETS BLOWN OUT OF THE AIR VENTS INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THE SUBSTANCE IS NOT HARMFUL IF INHALED BUT I AM NOT SURE I BELIEVE THAT. THE REPAIR COST WOULD BE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO REMOVE MY ENTIRE DASHBOARD TO REACH THE FAULTY PART. LEXUS STATED THEY OFFERED TO PAY 50% OF REPAIR/REPLACEMENT COSTS AND I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD PAY A PENNY AS I HAVE DONE NOTHING TO CAUSE THE PROBLEM. *TR

I PURCHASED A USED 2005 RX 330 3 WEEKS AGO (I ALSO PURCHASED WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS AN EXTENDED ROAD HAZARD COVERAGE). I DECIDED TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER AND GRANDDAUGHTER TO DISNEY WORLD (A 200 MILE TRIP THIS WEEKEND. JUST AS WE ARRIVED IN ORLANDO MY DAUGHTER SAID THAT SHE HEARD A POP (IT WAS NOT LOUD AS I DID NOT EVEN NOTICE IT)AND WE NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE SUV WAS TOWED INTO LEXUS OF ORLANDO AND ALTHOUGH ON VACATION I WAS LEFT WITHOUT A CAR AND STILL HAVE NONE. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, I WAS CALLED BY LEXUS OF ORLANDO AND TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $1000 TO HAVE MY CAR REPAIRED BECAUSE ALLEGEDLY THE ISSUE IS DAMAGE TO THE A/C COMPRESSOR CAUSED BY A 'ROAD HAZARD'. THE 'ROAD HAZARD' WAS A PIECE OF REFLECTOR USED TO SEPARATE THE LANES. LEXUS HAS REFUSED OT REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH I WAS SOLD A 3 MONTH, 3,000 MILE EVERYTHING WARRANTY (IN ADDITION TO THE LEXUS CERTIFIED WARRANTY) AND THE EVERYTHING WARRANTY HAS NO EXCLUSIONS WAS TO COVER ANY DAMAGE. I SPOKE TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT FOR A ROAD REFLECTOR TO CAUSE THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE, THERE MUST BE A DESIGN FLAW IN THE PROTECTIONS AFFORDED BY THE GRILL OR OTHERWISE TO THE A/C RADIATOR AREA. IN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE I NOTED THAT OTHERS HAVE FILE IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS, INCLUDING ON THIS SITE. *JB